"Teacher Lin Mu, with your strength, our previous treatment of you was truly negligent."
Meng Shenji bowed slightly, his voice tinged with a sincere apology. "From today onward, your salary will be increased to 20,000 gold soul coins per month. Furthermore, you will have full authority over all affairs concerning the Royal Fighting Team; the academy will not interfere."
The other two committee members nodded in solemn agreement. A month ago, they already knew that Lin Mu was the youngest Soul Saint on the continent, possessing a ten-thousand-year fourth Soul Ring and a hundred-thousand-year seventh Soul Ring. Those facts alone had overturned their understanding of cultivation, justifying any expense to recruit him.
They never expected that Lin Mu's true strength far exceeded that of a typical Soul Saint; he actually possessed the power to defeat the Poison Douluo. Although Dugu Bo was considered at the weakest among Title Douluos, he was still a Titled Douluo. A gap of nearly twenty levels in Soul Power was normally enough to crush any opponent.
Most importantly, Lin Mu was only twenty-two years old. He would likely reach the level of a Soul Douluo within two or three years and become a Title Douluo within a decade. This meant Lin Mu would likely reach that peak before Qin Ming even reached the Soul Saint level. It was simply unimaginable.
"Then I thank the three of you," Lin Mu said with a slight nod.
Previously, his monthly salary was five thousand gold soul coins. Now that it had quadrupled, he would earn two hundred and forty thousand gold soul coins a year. At the very least, he would no longer have to worry about funds. As for the management rights of the Royal Fighting Team, this would allow him to organize the team exactly as he saw fit.
However, compared to the benefits offered by the instructors, there was something far more important at hand: the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
In Dugu Bo's herb garden, there was a collection of immortal-grade herbs that were practically cheat codes for cultivation. Any single one of them was worth far more than the three Soul Bones offered in the Continental Soul Master Competition. While Soul Bones provided skills and power, immortal herbs could transform a Soul Master's constitution and elevate their innate talent.
Lin Mu had previously considered making a deal with Dugu Bo, offering to detoxify him in exchange for the herbs. He hadn't expected the man to deliver himself right to his doorstep, saving him a massive amount of trouble. After this battle, the problem of the Martial Soul backlash in Dugu Bo's lineage no longer needed to be negotiated; all the immortal herbs in the Yin-Yang Well of Ice and Fire were now his spoils of war. From this perspective, Xiao Wu had inadvertently done him a great favor.
At that moment, Dugu Yan finally broke free from Yu Tianheng and rushed to Dugu Bo's side. Seeing his battered body and weakened state, she was heartbroken, tears streaming down her face. She suddenly looked toward Ye Lingling and cried out through her sobs, "Lingling, please! Save my grandfather!"
Ye Lingling did not act immediately. Instead, she cast an inquiring glance at Lin Mu. Seeing him nod, she quickly stepped forward and summoned her Nine-Hearted Begonia. Soft white light transformed into petals that drifted down, merging into Dugu Bo's body to begin the healing process. While her abilities couldn't immediately cure a Title Douluo, they were enough to restore his mobility.
Lin Mu watched the sorrowful Dugu Yan, his eyes reflecting quiet contemplation. Part of the reason he hadn't killed Dugu Bo was indeed because of her, not out of affection, but to maintain the team's cohesion. The Royal Fighting Team now had a complete lineup, and with two more years of training, they had a genuine chance to compete with the Martial Spirit Hall Golden Generation team.
Under his guidance, the Shi brothers were becoming more coordinated, and it wouldn't be long before they developed a Soul Fusion Technique. As the captain, Yu Tianheng was training harder than ever after his previous setbacks. While he couldn't handle the team's entire damage output, he was a formidable primary dealer. Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Ye Lingling were the core, and their strength would skyrocket after absorbing the immortal herbs.
The only potential issue was Dugu Yan's resentment over her grandfather's injury. However, Lin Mu didn't care. In his strategic plan for the team, Dugu Yan was merely a substitute. If she was dissatisfied, she could do nothing but harbor impotent fury.
A few minutes later, Dugu Bo had recovered enough to move normally. Lin Mu signaled Ye Lingling to stop the treatment and spoke with cold authority. "Dugu Bo, I am going to the Sunset Forest. You will lead the way."
The three instructors were surprised by the commanding tone, but they quickly realized that a defeated opponent like the Poison Douluo had no choice but to obey Teacher Lin Mu.
"I... I obey," Dugu Bo whispered. He wanted to refer to himself as an "old servant," but with his granddaughter weeping beside him, he swallowed the words to preserve a final shred of dignity. He already suspected why Lin Mu wanted to go to the Sunset Forest. He had abandoned all hope of resistance, wishing only to ensure his granddaughter's safety.
Lin Mu turned to Tang San and Xiao Wu, then addressed Meng Shenji. "Elders, I need to leave the academy for a time. During my absence, Teacher Qin Ming will handle the training for the Royal Fighting Team."
"Teacher Lin Mu, when do you expect to return?" Meng Shenji asked anxiously, fearing the empire might lose such a titan.
"Perhaps half a month, perhaps a month. It isn't clear yet," Lin Mu replied vaguely.
Led by Dugu Bo, the group traversed a hidden poisonous barrier within the Sunset Forest, finally arriving at a secluded valley. Upon entering, an incredibly dense and peculiar energy rushed toward them, invigorating Lin Mu's senses. Soon, the four of them stood on a high ridge, looking down at a wondrous spring in the center of the valley.
The water displayed two distinct shades: milky white and crimson, blending together like a yin-yang symbol, yet remaining perfectly balanced. This was the Yin-Yang Well of Ice and Fire. It contained both extreme heat and extreme cold; ordinary Soul Masters would explode and die just from attempting to absorb the raw energy.
Around the spring, various rare flowers and exotic herbs bloomed. Lin Mu only had a vague memory of these plants from the original story, but his knowledge of medicine told him they were extraordinary. Furthermore, with Tang San's expertise, they wouldn't miss a single treasure.
"Master, this land is the intersection of ice and fire," Tang San said, rushing toward the spring. He scanned the immortal herbs he had previously only seen in ancient texts, barely able to contain his excitement. "The plants growing here... they are all top-grade immortal herbs!"